Related Stories

"Republicans are working together with grass-roots leadership in the district to get behind and vigorously support one candidate, whether he or she is on the ballot or not,'' Texas Republican Chairwoman Tina Benkiser said.

Mounting a successful write-in candidacy will be extremely difficult, according to political experts. First, the party will have to persuade straight-ticket Republican voters to individually select candidates in each race. And if there are several write-in candidates, the statistical probability for success also declines. There's also a question of how much money a candidate can raise in a shortened campaign cycle.

Democratic nominee Nick Lampson has had all summer to campaign and has $2.1 million in the bank.

Wallace said today there is too much at stake to allow Democrats to win this seat, while acknowledging that the campaign will be exciting because of the "unique challenges a write in candidate must overcome.''

"I will be taking the fight to Nick Lampson,'' Wallace said in a statement. "The voters of this district have been denied a choice and the liberal Democrats are celebrating the absence of a Republican candidate on the ballot. But their celebration will be short lived because we intend to offer voters a real choice in November and wage a campaign that will be victorious.''

Austin political consultant Bill Miller called a write-in campaign "ludicrous.''

"It is handing the seat to the Democrats,'' he said. "Republicans cannot win this seat with a write-in candidate, I don't care what name they write in.''

What a write-in candidate gains is a leg up in the next primary, Miller said. Even if the candidate loses, he or she will be able to build name identification and visibility. "Losing once is no big deal,'' Miller said. "Lose more than once, then you are branded a loser.''

Write-in candidates have until Aug. 29 to register with the secretary of state. Prospective candidates have to pay a $3,125 filing fee or submit a petition with 500 registered voters in the 22nd Congressional District.

Anyone who ran in the March primary is not eligible as a write-in candidate. And state representatives, who also are on the ballot this November, would have to withdraw from their races to run as a write-in candidate for the congressional seat.

Of the dozen or so candidates who were seeking the nomination, that left Wallace and Houston City Council member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs and Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace as possibly the most viable write-in candidates, Republicans said.

Sekula-Gibbs still has not decided what to do.

"People are giving me their input. I will make a decision in the near future,'' Sekula-Gibbs said. "The opportunity is very interesting. I am keenly interested in this seat and have been open about my desire. This is a different situation.''

A write-in candidacy is not "insurmountable,'' Sekula-Gibbs said. "The demographics of the district suggest a Republican can win. Voters would not only have to be convinced I was the right candidate, but familiar with the process.''

Sekula-Gibbs, who has the backing of prodigious campaign contributors such as homebuilder Bob Perry, stated a willingness to commit personal money as well.

"While that's about the only route left open to Republicans, they'll find it daunting to pull that off,'' he said.

Although the district leans Republican, voters in the district are going to be depressed, Jillson said, and one of their responses may be to stay home as a protest.

Republicans may be better off declaring that an injustice has been done to their party and rallying for the next round, two years from now, Jillson said.

DeLay fended off three challengers in the March GOP primary to win the nomination for re-election. Then in April, while under indictment and in the midst of a federal influence-peddling scandal, he announced he would not seek re-election.

DeLay resigned from office in June and moved his official residence to Virginia, though he maintains a home in Sugar Land.

Benkiser ruled that DeLay was ineligible to serve in office and should be replaced on the ballot.

The Texas Democratic Party sued, claiming DeLay and Benkiser were trying to get around a state law that limits the ability of political parties to replace a candidate who merely withdraws from a race. They argued that the U.S. Constitution sets residency requirements for candidates only on Election Day, and not before.

Last week, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks against the Republicans. Sparks said they were trying to set up a pre-election residency requirement that didn't exist. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia rejected an appeal Monday.

Sparks did note that DeLay was free to withdraw his name from the ballot under state law. The problem was putting on a replacement.

DeLay stood by his decision to become a Virginia resident to start a business working for conservative causes.

"This decision was and is irrevocable, which I made clear from day one,'' he said. "My action was taken in accordance with Texas law, federal precedent and common sense,'' he said. "I felt it was my duty to allow Texas Republicans to choose a new candidate for the fall election ballot.''

Latest from the Chron.com Homepage

Click below for the top news from around the Houston area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.